Ordered '08 Rx350

[DN328]

Hi Folks, I'm a newby and thought I'd join to learn a thing or two and contribute when possible. Just ordered an '08 for my wife, although, I like to ride for an SUV and do plan on driving it a lot too.

My question: The sales rep said it should take 3-4 weeks before the car arrives. My question is it's been close to two weeks so what kind of information should the dealership be able to provide for me at this time? That is, I just want to ensure all the right options were ordered and if there's a VIN, yet. I've emailed him a few times, but yet to get any solid information.

Any inputs would be much appreciated.

[DN328]

bump...anyone?

[azobairi]

May I ask how what you were quoted for the '08 RX-350 AWD?

If you dont mind could you also list the options that you are getting and the location too?

I am starting my hunt and am looking to see whats out there for this vehicle...Thanks!

[JimsGX]

Hi Folks, I'm a newby and thought I'd join to learn a thing or two and contribute when possible. Just ordered an '08 for my wife, although, I like to ride for an SUV and do plan on driving it a lot too.

My question: The sales rep said it should take 3-4 weeks before the car arrives. My question is it's been close to two weeks so what kind of information should the dealership be able to provide for me at this time? That is, I just want to ensure all the right options were ordered and if there's a VIN, yet. I've emailed him a few times, but yet to get any solid information.

Any inputs would be much appreciated.

I would assume that since the car would be available in 3-4 weeks from the time you ordered it, he has a car coming in with the spec's you wanted under his standard allocation. I ordered a Volvo before that had my name associated to the vehicle. It took about four months to get the vehicle. After about two months, the dealer was able to supply me with a printout from Volvo as to when the car was going to be manufactured. Once the car was ready to be loaded on the ship, I was able to track the location of the vehicle as it traveled across on the ship right up to its port delivery in New Jersey. Once it hit port, I think it took another 7-10 days before it made it to my local dealers lot.

[wwest]

bump...anyone?

WOW, I'm impressed, you found a Seattle area dealer willing to "special" order a vehicle.

I've been buying Lexus's from Bellevue Lexus since '91 and they have utterly refused to do that, as have the Seattle and Portland dealers.

You do know, I hope, that the RX is less than ideal for our (rare) but expected wintertime roadbed conditions...?

I don't think I would DARE take ours (2001 AWD RX300) skiing nor even over the pass during the winter months and it has several modifications that make it more viable in same.

I suggest you read up on the issues concerning engine torque delay during quick successive gearshifts, due to a design flaw in the transaxle currently being overcome, "fixed", via DBW firmware.

The Lexus climate control system is so horribly flawed in design it can easily get you killed if you're not fully aware of it's idiosynchronocies.

And by-the-by, IMMHO the RXh AWD will give, should give, substantially better wintertime roadbed performance over the standard RX.

If you should proceed with the RX purchase there are at least 4 C-best options that can be set by the dealer that you should know of.

[DN328]

Jim and WWEST - appreciate the feedback...

Well, I wouldn't conisder this a "special" order (althought the dealer has claimed this), and, is more of what Jim had stated and that it was allocated for the dealership and they merely added additional options while in production...symantics I guess.

Interesting about the issues - guess I should research the issue and the timeframe for the updated firmware to be applied to production. Dumb question, what are "C-best options", WWEST? Also, how does the 400h offer substantially better winter performance? Conisdering my old truck and car are rear wheel drive, I am sure the 350 will be better for light winter driving :D

The sales rep called yesterday, and said the car has arrived...wife and I will be taking a trip tomorrow. Open to any tips during the pick-up process...

[wwest]

Jim and WWEST - appreciate the feedback...

Well, I wouldn't conisder this a "special" order (althought the dealer has claimed this), and, is more of what Jim had stated and that it was allocated for the dealership and they merely added additional options while in production...symantics I guess.

Interesting about the issues - guess I should research the issue and the timeframe for the updated firmware to be applied to production. Dumb question, what are "C-best options", WWEST? Also, how does the 400h offer substantially better winter performance? Conisdering my old truck and car are rear wheel drive, I am sure the 350 will be better for light winter driving :D

The sales rep called yesterday, and said the car has arrived...wife and I will be taking a trip tomorrow. Open to any tips during the pick-up process...

The RXh actually has a ~75HP electric (extraordinary low speed torque) drive motor dedicated to rear drive whereas the RX350 has a somewhat fluid viscous clutch/coupling for rear drive that mostly remains "flaccid" until a quite significant level, certainly tens of milliseconds, possibly hundreds, of front wheelspin ocurrs.

The whole matter gets a bit confusing if you start to look at the history of the RX's AWD system.

Up until 2001 a viscous clutch was used, mounted across the two outputs of the center diff'l, along with a mechainical LSD at the rear. A totally non-functional LSD since seemingly there was/is no way to get enough drive torque to the rear to result in rear wheelspin/slip. The fronts, recieving the clear majority of engine torque, at least at the initial instance of onset, would always be the first to develop wheelspin/slip and thereby significantly limit the engine torque level to the rear, but overall in reality.

In 2001 VSC/Trac was added which mostly made the viscous clutch redundent (it was likely non-functional to begin with anyway) since the instant front wheelspin/slip was detected Trac would apply braking and dethrottle the engine. The mechanical LSD was also dropped in favor of a virtual LSD via use of Trac braking (Yeah, like that's likely to happen). On a 4 wheel dyno the most we could get from my 2001 was a 75/25 F/R torque split and that was only by disabling VSC/Trac (pulled the ABS fuse) and ~10-15 seconds of front "wheelspin" (overspeed vs the rear) developed by dyno braking of only the rear wheels. Otherwise it seemed to meaure ~95/5 F/R, if even that.

Part of the mystery for me, but at the same time something of a confirmation of my theory, is that the use of the viscous clutch was discontinued for the entire RX330 product run but is apparently back in play/use for the RX350. I can only assume the Trac firmware was modified for the RX350 to provide a Trac dethrottling delay as they now have on the Trac system for the RWD Lexus models.

While I'm stuck here at Eastside Group Health ICU for a least another day I'll likely be back at the office by Wednesday. Our offices are located directly behind the Redmond Brown Bag Cafe if you would like to drop by sometime and I can explain in far more detail, c-best options, flawed climate control design, hazards of FWD, 1-2 second engine/transaxle delay/hesitation, etc.

[DN328]

Jim and WWEST - appreciate the feedback...

Well, I wouldn't conisder this a "special" order (althought the dealer has claimed this), and, is more of what Jim had stated and that it was allocated for the dealership and they merely added additional options while in production...symantics I guess.

Interesting about the issues - guess I should research the issue and the timeframe for the updated firmware to be applied to production. Dumb question, what are "C-best options", WWEST? Also, how does the 400h offer substantially better winter performance? Conisdering my old truck and car are rear wheel drive, I am sure the 350 will be better for light winter driving :D

The sales rep called yesterday, and said the car has arrived...wife and I will be taking a trip tomorrow. Open to any tips during the pick-up process...

The RXh actually has a ~75HP electric (extraordinary low speed torque) drive motor dedicated to rear drive whereas the RX350 has a somewhat fluid viscous clutch/coupling for rear drive that mostly remains "flaccid" until a quite significant level, certainly tens of milliseconds, possibly hundreds, of front wheelspin ocurrs.

The whole matter gets a bit confusing if you start to look at the history of the RX's AWD system.

Up until 2001 a viscous clutch was used, mounted across the two outputs of the center diff'l, along with a mechainical LSD at the rear. A totally non-functional LSD since seemingly there was/is no way to get enough drive torque to the rear to result in rear wheelspin/slip. The fronts, recieving the clear majority of engine torque, at least at the initial instance of onset, would always be the first to develop wheelspin/slip and thereby significantly limit the engine torque level to the rear, but overall in reality.

In 2001 VSC/Trac was added which mostly made the viscous clutch redundent (it was likely non-functional to begin with anyway) since the instant front wheelspin/slip was detected Trac would apply braking and dethrottle the engine. The mechanical LSD was also dropped in favor of a virtual LSD via use of Trac braking (Yeah, like that's likely to happen). On a 4 wheel dyno the most we could get from my 2001 was a 75/25 F/R torque split and that was only by disabling VSC/Trac (pulled the ABS fuse) and ~10-15 seconds of front "wheelspin" (overspeed vs the rear) developed by dyno braking of only the rear wheels. Otherwise it seemed to meaure ~95/5 F/R, if even that.

Part of the mystery for me, but at the same time something of a confirmation of my theory, is that the use of the viscous clutch was discontinued for the entire RX330 product run but is apparently back in play/use for the RX350. I can only assume the Trac firmware was modified for the RX350 to provide a Trac dethrottling delay as they now have on the Trac system for the RWD Lexus models.

While I'm stuck here at Eastside Group Health ICU for a least another day I'll likely be back at the office by Wednesday. Our offices are located directly behind the Redmond Brown Bag Cafe if you would like to drop by sometime and I can explain in far more detail, c-best options, flawed climate control design, hazards of FWD, 1-2 second engine/transaxle delay/hesitation, etc.

I appreciate all the information, WWEST - I'm a lexus newby so need to absorb it all...may be I'll see you around...